Alcohol/drug involvement vs. student drop out rate
Wealth vs. student drop out rate
Student drop out rate vs. poverty
Teen pregnancy vs. student drop out rate
Question
Does teenage pregnancy effect the student dropout rate
throughout Canada?
(between late 70’s and 2005)
Background
I chose this topic because it seems that recently there has been a lot of media attention to famous teen stars who are becoming pregnant. There are even television shows dedicated to teenage pregnancies. I wanted to see if there was a correlation between teen pregnancy and student drop outs.
Hypothesis
The more teenage pregnancies there are, the higher the student dropout rate will be. I believe this is the case because now a days it is extremely difficult to deal with school, but to add a new member to your family that you have to raise would make it nearly impossible. Certain teens may have parents that might choose to support their children’s children and watch them while they are at school, but this is rare
. Variables
Independent variable: Teen pregnancy (x) Dependant variable: Student drop out rate (y)
The data below show the dropout numbers in thousands and the drop out rate in Canada between the years of 1990-1991 and 2004-2005
Year
Thousands
Drop-out rate (%)
1990-1991
337.8
16.7
1991-1992
320.3
15.9
1992-1993
289.8
14.5
1993-1994
279.2
14.1
1994-1995
265.0
13.5
1995-1996
245.9
12.6
1996-1997
237.7
12.1
1997-1998
242.4
12.3
1998-1999
223.3
11.3
1999-2000
230.0
11.5
2000-2001
225.6
11.1
2001-2002
223.9
10.8
2002-2003
228.4
10.8
2003-2004
207.7
9.7
2004-2005
212.3
9.8
The chart below shows the year vs. Live Births, Fetal Loss and Abortion rates, 1974 to 1997
Year
Live Birth
Fetal Loss
Abortion
1974
65%
9%
25%
1978
58%
8%
34%
1982
57%
7%
38%
1986
55%
8%
39%
1990
52%
5%
41%
1994
50%
4%
45%
1997
48%
2%
50%
As the table above shows, more teens in recent years are having abortions. The number most likely has drastically increased in 2010. The amount of live births, went down as teenagers are starting to learn that they have other options, ie. abortions. Lastly, the amount of fetal loss has slowly gone down due to new medical findings and medicines.
Teenage Live Births vs. Student Dropout Rates
Year
Live Birth
Drop Out Rate
1990
52%
16.7%
1994
50%
13.5%
1997
48%
12.3%
As the table above shows as the years go on, there is a decrease in both the amount of live births and the amount of student drop out rates. *planning on getting more data to show the correlation between drop out rates and teenage live birth. I will eventually make a bigger chart and a graph showing the correlation between the two variable. The chart above is just a preview to show the correlation between the two.
Bias
Considering all of my data was from Stats Canada, there would be no bias to my data. A sampling bias may be present as teen pregnancy isn’t typical of Canadian lifestyle. Teen pregnancy is becomes more present in third world countries as they cannot afford different types of protection and birth control.
Teenage pregnancy rates, by age of women at end of pregnancy, women aged 15 to 19, Canada and United States, 1974 to 1997
Conclusion
Based on all the data complied, it is clear that there is a correlation between teen pregnancy and student dropout rates. More specifically, there is a strong positive correlation between the two variables. As the teen pregnancies increase so do the student dropout rates, proving my hypothesis correct. The reason is different with every case, but most likely teenagers who are pregnant are dropping out of school because it is too much to juggle both a baby and grades. The reason that the teen pregnancy is most likely increasing is because of the medias take on the situation. The media is in a way glamourizing teen pregnancy with all the media attention and tv shows, making more teenagers be less “safe” or even want babies.
Brainstorming
Question
Does teenage pregnancy effect the student dropout rate
throughout Canada?
Background
I chose this topic because it seems that recently there has been a lot of media attention to famous teen stars who are becoming pregnant. There are even television shows dedicated to teenage pregnancies. I wanted to see if there was a correlation between teen pregnancy and student drop outs.
Hypothesis
The more teenage pregnancies there are, the higher the student dropout rate will be. I believe this is the case because now a days it is extremely difficult to deal with school, but to add a new member to your family that you have to raise would make it nearly impossible. Certain teens may have parents that might choose to support their children’s children and watch them while they are at school, but this is rare
.
Variables
Independent variable: Teen pregnancy (x)
Dependant variable: Student drop out rate (y)
Raw Data
Canadian Student Dropout Rates: http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/81-004-x/2005004/8984-eng.htm
Canadian Student Pregnancy Rates: http://www.statcan.gc.ca/kits-trousses/preg-gross/preg-gross-eng.htm
The data below show the dropout numbers in thousands and the drop out rate in Canada between the years of 1990-1991 and 2004-2005
The chart below shows the year vs. Live Births, Fetal Loss and Abortion rates, 1974 to 1997
Teenage Live Births vs. Student Dropout Rates
Rate
*planning on getting more data to show the correlation between drop out rates and teenage live birth. I will eventually make a bigger chart and a graph showing the correlation between the two variable. The chart above is just a preview to show the correlation between the two.
Bias
Considering all of my data was from Stats Canada, there would be no bias to my data. A sampling bias may be present as teen pregnancy isn’t typical of Canadian lifestyle. Teen pregnancy is becomes more present in third world countries as they cannot afford different types of protection and birth control.
Teenage pregnancy rates, by age of women at end of pregnancy, women aged 15 to 19, Canada and United States, 1974 to 1997
*Data is used from second table *
Teen pregnancy one variable graph
Student dropout one variable graph
Calculations: *all pieces of data are in thousands *
Mean Of Teen Pregnancy in Canada from 1995-2005 ages 15-19
=686/11
=62.36
Mean of student dropouts from 1995-2005
=2542.2/11
=231.11
Median of teenage pregnancy in Canada from 1995-2005: 57.1
Median of Canadian student dropouts from 1995-2005: 228.4
Mode: There is no mode for either sets of data, as no numbers are repeated
Range of teen pregnancy in Canada from 1995-2005
76.1-49.0
=27.1
Range of Canadian dropouts from 1995-2005
265-207.7
=57.3
Standard Deviation of teen pregnancy in Canada from 1995-2005
=√840/11-1
=9.165
Standard Deviation of Canadian student dropouts from 1995-2005
√2675.05/11-1
=16.36
Correlation Coefficient
prior calculations...
=0.9507
Strong positive correlation
Two Variable Data Graphs and Calculations
Conclusion
Based on all the data complied, it is clear that there is a correlation between teen pregnancy and student dropout rates. More specifically, there is a strong positive correlation between the two variables. As the teen pregnancies increase so do the student dropout rates, proving my hypothesis correct. The reason is different with every case, but most likely teenagers who are pregnant are dropping out of school because it is too much to juggle both a baby and grades. The reason that the teen pregnancy is most likely increasing is because of the medias take on the situation. The media is in a way glamourizing teen pregnancy with all the media attention and tv shows, making more teenagers be less “safe” or even want babies.
Bibliography
Work cited
Bowlby, Geoff. Provincial Drop-out Rates. Statistics Canada , 1 Dec. 2008. Web. 16 Nov. 2010. http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/81-004-x/2005004/8984-eng.htm.
Dryburgh, Heather. Teenage Pregnancies. Statistic Canada, 5 June 2007. Web. 16 Nov. 2010. <http://www.statcan.gc.ca/kits-trousses/preg-gross/preg-gross-eng.htm>.
McKay, A. (2006). Trends in teen pregnancy in Canada with comparisons to U.S.A. and England/Wales. The Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, 15, 157-161. http://www.sieccan.org/pdf/mckay_cjhs2006_trends%20in%20teen%20pregnancy.pdf
Images
http://www.mtv.com/shows/16_and_pregnant/season_1/series.jhtml
http://teenmom.maxupdates.tv/
http://karlaporter.com/workforce/focus-on-retention-not-dropout-reengagement/
http://purposebeyondpain.wordpress.com/2009/12/30/clinical-risk-factors-may-predict-depression-during-pregnancy/
http://randgbookkeeping.com/.cache/